


Homosapien, not Homosexual

by Someones_Alter_Ego



Category: The Ghost of Heaven
Genre: M/M, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-03
Updated: 2015-12-02
Packaged: 2018-05-04 16:15:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5340410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Someones_Alter_Ego/pseuds/Someones_Alter_Ego
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He found himself enticed by Dexter's movement, his intensity; every part of the man was enthralling. <br/>"Doctor James?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

James had loved his wife. He had loved her for both her body and for whom she was, and he was certain of the fact.  
This affection he felt for Dexter must have been platonic, like his love for Verity. And yet he found himself enticed by Dexter's movement, his intensity; every part of the man was enthralling.  
"Doctor James?" Dexter asked, and he blinked.  
"I'm sorry, if you would repeat what you said?" Dexter frowned.  
"I was telling you why I didn't put my book on paper. I told you that it was already perfect, and that I felt no need to copy it down." James nodded absently.  
"Yes. Of course..." he trailed off, and Dexter stared at him intensely.  
"Doctor James? You've been incredibly distracted as of late. Is everything alright?" James sighed, and contemplated telling Dexter about his unusual feelings toward him. He decided against it, and shook his head as if that would clear it.  
"Verity is having problems at her current school." He said instead, and Dexter nodded.  
"I see. Did you consider going to the school and addressing the teacher?" James guaffed.  
"Of course not Charles; everyone knows you don't interfere in children's problems." Dexter blushed.  
"Thank you, Dr.James, for using my name. I would also like to tell you that I was not aware of this non-interference rule, and I apologize." James was blushing now too, and he ducked his head. A thought briefly flitted through his mind that Dexter looked simply dashing with red smeared across his cheeks. He cleared his throat and stood, finally looking back at Dexter.  
"Good day Dexter; perhaps I will try your method." Dexter grinned, and James found it hard to look away from his lips. As he shut the door Dexter turned back to his wall, presumably writing his novel, and James smiled.


	2. Chapter Two

"Mr.James, is there any reason you're here?" James fidgeted under the teacher's gaze, and cleared his throat.   
"Yes. I would like something to be done about my daughter Verity. The other students here are treating her terribly." The teacher looked baffled, trying to comprehend why a parent would ever confront them.   
"I'll... see what I can have done. Do you know these students names?" James was at a loss, and felt the heat of blush rising above his collar.   
"Verity never mentioned their names; perhaps you could tell the whole class. From what I know, it is a large group of them." The teacher nodded, and James left.  
When he entered Orient Point,   
he immediately walked to Dexter's room. Throwing the door open excitedly, he found Dexter nursing several cuts and bruises, and his joyful words died on his lips.  
"Oh Charles..." He trailed off, and Dexter looked up. His red hair was spattered with blood, and his left eye was puffy.   
"Oh, Dr.James. How was the chat?" James waved Dexter off, and was kneeling beside him in an instant.   
"Charles, Charles, Charles; what happened to you?" Dexter shrugged, and compliantly showed his neck to James for inspection. He tsked, and stood up to get antiseptic. "Well Dexter?"   
"I was caught conversing with the orphans who usually come; a warden decided that this," he gestured to himself, "was suitable punishment." James frowned, pressing the cloth to Dexter's neck. He inhaled sharply and jerked his neck away, before rubbing the spot gingerly. "I'm sorry." He said, and extended his neck again. James inhaled deeply and pressed the cloth back into his skin.   
"Charles, I'm going to talk to the superintendent about your treatment. This is simply unacceptable!" Dexter looked up in surprise.   
"That would be very kind of you, but it's not necessary." James' face colored, and he set down the cloth.   
"Charles, I cannot allow you to be abused!" Dexter stared at him for a long moment, then asked,   
"Did you love your wife? In the way a man... typically loves a woman?" James gaped in shock, then exclaimed,   
"Of course I did! I loved her with all of my being!" Dexter waved dismissively.   
"You can love her with all your being, but your love can be platonic. You love Verity, don't you?" James nodded. "Yet you don't love her in the way a man loves a woman." He nodded again. "I am asking if your love for Caroline was like your love for Verity." James applied a bandage to Dexter's neck, then stood up. As he closed the door, he said,   
"Good day Dexter; when I return, I hope you will have gained some basic manners." Dexter simply smiled.


	3. Chapter Three

"Good day Dexter." James said as he entered the room. Dexter grinned at him, and met him at the door.   
"I have wonderful news James!" He said merrily. "Today I was reading one of those lecherous books and I figured out that there is a specific word that describes your feeling for me. The word is 'homosexual'; that means-" James cut Dexter off sharply.   
"I know what it means Dexter. I am going to tell you now that I am not a homosexual and shall never be a homosexual so you can take your assumptions and discard it." Dexter looked at him with a gaze full of pity.   
"Oh James," he said, " I know you've been taught that this form of love is bad, but you can't help whom you love. I understand-" The Doctor slammed his hand down on Dexter's desk and bellowed,   
"I am not a homosexual Dexter!" Dexter stared at him for a long moment, in absolute silence, then asked,   
"Then what do you feel for me?" James opened his mouth, then closed it, then finally said,   
"I'm not sure, Charles. I'm not sure." Dexter shrugged, and sat down on his bed.   
"Oh well; you'll come to realize in due time. Now tell me about Caroline."   
* * *   
The more James thought about Dexter, the more he avoided the man. He knew he had to sort out his affections for him, but he simply... couldn't. He refused to admit that these fleeting affections for Dexter shared similarities with the love he had for Caroline, but he didn't have any other explanation. What he felt for Dexter was definitely the same feeling he had gotten when interacting with Caroline, and yet, the more he thought back, the less her smile appealed to him. His mind replaced the beauty of her curves with Dexter's edges, began to consider short red hair more luxurious than long, midnight black. When James couldn't remember why he had loved Caroline in the short dresses of the late twenties, he went to the church; this needed to be dealt with.   
"Father Grace." James said hesitantly, and the wrinkled man looked up.   
"Yes, Dr.James?"   
"A strange feeling has begun to rise within me concerning a patient of mine, very similar to the one I felt for my late wife, Caroline." The pastor nodded. "However, the patient," James paused, fear threatening to swallow him. He started again, forcing the words out. "The patient is a man." Father Grace's eyes widened, and he let out a small noise of indignation.   
"You believe you harbor romantic feelings for a man?" James nodded, face burning with shame.   
"Please, Father Grace; I need to be cured. I have a daughter and a career to focus on, I can't be sidetracked with such terrible sins!" The pastor gazed at James with sympathy, then pushed himself up from the pew.   
"Come, James; we will pray."


	4. Chapter Four

For two months, James prayed for a cure at regular intervals. He would wash his hands in holy water before bed, and had meetings with Father Grace every three days. He felt in his heart that he was getting better, that he had simply been mistaken about his feelings. He was so sure, in fact, that on the first day of the third month, he went to visit Dexter.   
The man was in shambles.   
"James? James! I can't believe it's you!" Dexter said, smiling brilliantly. He stood up- wincing at having to move battered muscles- and limped toward him. James almost dropped his clipboard in shock, but collected himself in time. James stuck out a hand to greet him, and followed it by a rough,   
"Dexter." The aforementioned man stopped, face falling; watching his face crumple made James want to hold him until it went away, but Father Grace had said distance was key.   
"Oh James," he whispered. "What have they done to you?" Tears built up in Dexter's eyes, and he sat back on his bed. James inhaled deeply.   
"I went to the church, and Father Grace healed me; aren't you happy?" Dexter shook his head vigorously, tears running down his cheeks.   
"You were never sick, James. You were made to be attracted to the same sex, maybe even both sexes, but there was never anything wrong with that. I would have accepted you. I would have loved you back."   
"Perhaps you need to be cured as well then." James said, and went to go get the medical supplies from the drawer. Homosexual or not, Dexter was injured and needed to be taken care of.   
"Just", Dexter started, his voice cracking, "just leave please." James sighed, and turned back around with the medical supplies.  
"Charles, you're injured and I need to make sure none of your wounds are infected." Dexter sniffed.   
"Leave me alone, Dr.James; I just need to think for a moment. Come back tomorrow." Shaking his head firmly, James set down the supplies and started bandaging Dexter's wounds. Dexter pushed him away gently, but firmly. "Dr.James, I don't want to do something I will regret; leave."   
"Dexter!" James said irritably. "Let me dress your wounds!" He grabbed Dexter's face and turned it to the side to get at a large purple bruise. As he leaned in to press the antiseptic wipe on it, Dexter kissed him. His lips were bruised and swollen in certain areas, but they were soft enough James didn't care. He leaned into the kiss instinctively, dropping the antiseptic wipe on the cold floors.   
"Charles." He exhaled softly when they broke apart.   
"Dr. James." Dexter responded, eyes gleaming and just as breathless. James threw the forgotten wipe into a trash bin and stood abruptly.   
"I'll send a nurse to dress your wounds. Good day."


End file.
